setting blog goals

i'm curious..does anyone else set goals for their blog..whether that's for stats or topics or something along those lines? for me, my goals are centered around posting frequency. I started out a bit slower (a few times a week) and then my goal became 5x a week and now i'm aiming for daily..although I won't beat myself up about it if that doesn't happen...hehe.

My goal is twice a day, which is fairly easy since I don't have a set topic. It's mostly when I want to really get passionate about an entry that I need time and energy for it. It took me 2 hours to get my "Forbidden love" entry composed and structured the way I like. But, I've already done my 2 today, so now I want at least one more with "substance".

I can't really place a goal on it, but I want my stat graph to match or exceed the previous day's views. Right now it's looking like a mountain range.

@weirdscience
In the beginning weblogs were online journals. Next came the citizen journalists and since that time weblogs have evolved to become whatever the bloggers with them choose them to be.

Blog readerships are built on encouraging dialog, building relationships with individual readers and building a blog community.

Generally speaking:
(1) If any blogger does not post regularly they do not attract a faithful readership and will not be able to establish an ongoing dialog on their blogs that creates relationship and a sense of "community".
(2) And, if any blogger does not poste quality content written on topics that attract a faithful readership then, in essence, the blog will become a personal journal.

If you wish to enter the fray of bloggers who are concerned about achieving high hit rates and statistical rankings then there are some guidelines to become aware of Google Webmaster Guidelines

If, however, you could care less about what whether or not blog's stats and rankings will be growing and moving upwards then setting your own blogging goals is the way to go.

Here's a post based on Liz Straus's advice that I made to the wordpress.com beginner's resources blog that I gave to raincoaster. Perhaps you will find it to be useful.

Blog Review Checklist Audience
What words would your readers use to describe your blog?
What do think you think they will like best about your site?

Purpose
What is the purpose of the blog? Why does it exist?
Is the purpose stated plainly where readers can see it?
How well does the blog meet that purpose?

Content
How well does the content support the purpose?
Is the content readable, interesting, accurate, entertaining, and appropriate?

Design
How well does the look of the blog communicate the kind of blog it is?
Is navigation easy and intuitive? Do items flow naturally from the first to the next?
Do the color palette, image, and type choices support the content or call attention away from it?

Posts
Are postings made on a consistent schedule?
Can readers find a notation of what that schedule is?
Do posts reflect the unique purpose and style of the blog?
Do they offer variety and interest within the blog’s purpose and theme?

Comments
Do you read and respond to comments to form a sense of community?
Consider which posts get most comments and which get none. How does that effect the topics that are being posted?

Writing:
Is your writing clear and respectful of readers?
Have you established a writing voice that lets readers know who you really are?
Is the blog essentially free of errors in grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation?

Organization:
Do you name categories with titles that readers can understand?
Have you set up categories and sub-categories in a manner to draw readers into your back-list?
Does your blog feature “Golden Oldies” that new readers would have interest in?

Marketing:
What are you doing to let readers know about the blog?
Is the blog listed listed in directories?
Do you read and comment on other blogs within your readership?
Have you included rss feeds?

Personally, I like to post at least once every two days. I try to do an editorial-style post twice a week and some random posts in-between, usually around books. Stats don't bother me much, but I like to keep them level... I worry if they drop off substantially, LOL.

Nice blog, suburose. I blogrolled you under a new category - Crafters. :-)

I like making things myself, but I have yet to get a craft room set up in the 5 years I've lived at my current place. I'm hoping to get it done before the end of the year. If my September raise is as good as I think it is, I should be able to accomplish the setup.

For my first blog here my goal was to get mentioned on uber top celebrity blogs. Not just linked in their blogrolls but mentioned as a source. And about a year and a half later some uber top blogs started mentioning me. :) And I was like "THEY KNOW WHO I AM".

Now with my new myspace layouts site, my goal is for anyone actually uses my layouts in their myspace. I figured out where to place the code in the template code where I placed a link back to my blog. No referrals yet but I am getting search words coming in.

Good question. Never thought about concrete goals beyond enjoying myself. But if each post manages to make at least one person pause and reflect midst the constant stream out there, I'll have achieved one thing.

I think I set one of my goals. I got a referrer back from someone's Myspace page. BUT THEY HAVE IT ON PRIVATE! :( So now I don't know which layout they used or if they just posted a link to my site for another reason.

I Googled Patriot Fan and he hasn't blogged in months. :( I hope he's okay because he said he lived in a bad neighborhood and that's why he was always on his computer because he would come home from school and just stay inside the house and on his computer.